Waterproof sheet material and process of making the same



IH. E. BROWN ET AL Filed Dec.

June E9, l923 WATERPROOF SHEET MATERIAL AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME f' van Patented June 19,- 1972'3.

UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.,

HERMAN E. BROWN, OF KIING-S'I'ON-` vNET YORK, AND JORDAN STOVER, 0F. NUTLEY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOBS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO MULTI-FABBIC CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N- Y., A. OOEPOBATION OF NEW YORK.

WATERPROOF SHEET MATERIAL A ND OF MAKING- THE Applicationl med December 2,' 1921. Serial No., 519,388.

To all whom tf/nay cor'zlcem:

Be it known that we, HERMAN E'. BROWN,

a citizen ofthe United States, residin at Kin ton, in the county of Ulster and tate 5 of ew York, and JORDAN Homan STOVER,

at tate a citizen of the United States, residin Nutley, in the county of Essex and of New Jersey, havefinvented certain new.

and useful Improvements in Waterproof Sheet AMaterials and Processes of Making the Same; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apertains to make and use the same.

ur invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described, reference being had t0 -the accompanyin drawing, which shows one embodiment o the invention selected by us for purposes of illustration, and

the said invention is fully disclosedl in the following description and clalms.

The invention" relates to waterproof sheet material suitable for use for automobile'tops and curtains, upholstery, imltatlon leather,

acter of the sheet material must depend either upon the impermeability of the coating, as in the first mentioned class of fabries, o1' upon the impermeabilityofthe fabric, as in the second class of material. Both these classes of materials are o en to serious Objections. In the lwoven fabrics, which are provided with a surface coating,tl1e waterproof character of the fabric continues only so long as the coating itself does not become cracked, broken, worn or separated from the fabric. Any injury to the surface coating permits moisture to be absorbed by'I the woven fabric with the result that it rots 0r mildews, thus shortening the life of the material, while lits waterproof quality is destroyed. This is true whether the woven fabric is coated on one side or both sides, and such coatings applied to woven fabrics present distinct lines of cleavage betweenthe .fabric and the coating, which facilitates cracking, breaking and separation of the coating from the fabric. Where the woven fabric is saturated with'boiled I oil, or other suitable material, for example, the resulting material is not suliciently waterproof for many purposes, and is not at all suitable for uses involving a rubbing of the surface which quicklydestroys the fabric. These oil saturated fabrics alsoV .readily stretch, which causes a separation "of the threads and impairs or vdestroys the `waterproofcharacter 0f the goods.v

Our invention has for its object, the pro-` duction of a waterproof sheet material, which is in its preferred form trebl `v-fwaterproof, that is to say, provided wit Va waterproof coating on each side or face; of the sheet, and, an additional strata vof Vimpervious waterproof character between the exterior surfaces', so that in order to have this material leak or permit the passage of water therethrough, it is necessary that'all threev of th'e waterproof planes shall be completely Idestroyed in the same loealt The resulting fabric is thus admirab y .adapted for use in all situations where it is exposed to moisture, and will remain waterproof even though Yone or even two ofthe waterproof elements Or planes of the fabric should be broken by accident or otherwise.v

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates diagrammatically, the manner inr which our. improved process for the production of our improved waterproof sheet mal terial is carried out,

Fig. 1l represents diagrammatically a sectional view of a non-woven fibrous base material having one face treated with waterproof binding material.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the nonwoven librousbasematerial coated on both sides and partially impregnated with binding material, leaving a central stratum not so impregnated. l

Fig. 3 is a similary diagrammatic view indicating the manner in which the coated and imlpregn'ated non-woven fibrous material is sp it.

Fig. 4 is a similar diagrammatic view showin the manner in which the split portions o the coated and impregnated nonwoven fibrous material are reversed and united by bringing their coated faces togather to form a central water-proof stratum.

Fig. 5 is a similar diagrammatic view representing a section of the preferred form of our waterproof sheet material showing the three waterproof strata therein. Fig. 6 is a similar diagrammatic vlew of a modification in which one split section of the fibrous material is provided witha surface coating. l

ln carrying our invention into e'ect 1n its preferred form, we employ as the base material for our improved waterproof sheetmg a non-woven fibrous material, indicated at 1, in which the fibres are preferably unspun, such as cotton felt, cotton batting, hair felt, long ib'red-paper pulp, or similar mauferial. rlhe base material, after being dried,

is coated on one face with a flexible waterroof binding compound, as shown at 2 in ig. l, which'is caused to penetrate into the base sheet materiahand preferably, almost but not quite, halfway through the thickness of the sheet. We prefer to apply the binding compound, which may consist for example of a suitable compound of lndia rubber, in the form and consistency of dou h by passing the fabric between the rolls o .a three roll calender, and to supply the plastic binding material to one of the rolls so as to form a coating thereon, which iS transferred to and forced linto one surface of the non-'woven fibrous sheet material, in substantially the manner set forth, for eX- ample, in our former application for Letters Patent of the United States' tiled August 19, 1921, and given Serial No. 493,526. The non-woven fibrous material may however, have the binding material applied thereto in other ways.

g-The material, after being-coated on one side with the binding material, and partially impregnated therewith, is then similiar coated and impregnated with the ilexi le waterproof binding lcompound on the-opposite side, as indicated in Fig. Q, the

' binding material being forced into the nonwoven sheet material and preferably to a oint: almost halfway therethrough. This raves a central stratum of fibres, indicated at 3,:'inrthe' fibrous material, which is either om impregnation by the binding mate ial, or is very slightly impregnated therewith, while the exterior surfaces of the/ fabric are densely impregnated and thoroughly coated with and consolidated by the binding material. rlhe material is then split centrally and the non-impregnatedy layer extending centrally, as shown in Fig. 3, through. t e entire body of the sheet, facilitates the splitting or separation aeeaaee of the sheet into two sections. The two sections of the split material are then placed in juxtaposition with their exterior coated sides in contact, as shown in lliig.l it, and' are passed between rolls or'otherwise subjected to pressure for the purpose of causing the coated surfaces to unite. This o eration is preferably performed before t e bindine com ound hashad an opportunity to harden afgter its application to the nonwoven fabric. thus been practically turned inside out, and presents a structure in which the dense, heavily impregnated portions,A 2-2 of the fabric areunited through the. center of the fabric to form an impervious waterproof layer, the exterior faces of the fabric at this stage comprising more or less loose fibres, as indicated at 3-3 in Fig. 4, which are nc; impregnatedwith the binding material at all or are not impregnated to such an extent as to revent them from extending outwardly and projecting from the general surface ofthe fabric. 'llhus there are formed on both sides of the fabric at this stage interstices between the fibres and outwardly projecting fibres which are 4peculiarly adapted to interlock ,with and form' bonds with an exterior surface coating, and unite it firmlyl to the body of the fabric. rl`he material is then coated on both sides with a waterproof surface coating,` indicated at 4--4 in Fig. 5, of the pyroxylin and castor oil type, or any other preferred type of coating suitable ky,for the purpose, which coating will enter into the interstices of the libres of the base material and will surround and embed the outwardly rojecting libres thereof so as to thorough y interlock and bond the surface coatings with the non-woven fibrous base material and the binding material of the central stratum. The resulting fabric therefore presents three waterproof strata namely, the two exterior surface coatings alf-4r, which are firmly bonded to the non-woven fibrous material, and a central waterproof stratum, 2 2, extending throughout the sheet material between the two exterior waterproof coatings, and imparting not only a treble waterproof character to the sheet material, but also the property of great tensile strength and durability. Une vof the exterior faces of the sheet material may be embossed in any desired manner, if preferred, in imitation of leather, or otherwise imprinted for the purpose of imparting a desirednappearance thereto. llnstead of the pyroxylin and castor oil coatings any other waterproof coating may be applied on the opposlte faces of the sheet material, such as a boiled linseed coating or suitable rubber coatings, if preferre 'y lt will be understood that it is within the scope of our invention to take one of the rlhe resulting. fabric has.

s lit portions of the non-woven fibrous s eet material, which has been coated and impregnated and split in the manner hereinbefore described, and applya surface coating to the non-im regnated` or partially impregnated fibres t ereo in the manner indicated in Fig. 6, in which 1a represents one of the split portions of the coated and impregnated non-woven fibrous material 'hav- 'ingthe coated and impregnated portion 2a and the non-coated and non-impregnatedl say, in the stage indicated in Fig. fi, is itself completely waterproof throughout its central strata with only enough of the fibres extending free on opposite sides of the waterproof strata to form bonds with the subsequently applied exterior surface Waterproof coatings thereafter applied, as in Fig.' 5. rihus in the preferred form of our 1mproved waterproof sheetings, there are three Waterproof strata provided each merging into each other so that the entire fabrlc is im ervious and the penetration of water or moisture into any part of the fabric will be prevented at all times, and the passage of Water through the fabric cannot occur until all three of the waterproof strata' are broken through or the material completely Worn out. coatings are firmlyanchored to the central waterproof strata by the interlocking of the vfibres indicated at 3 with the coatings 4,

so that these coatings cannot be separated from the central strata of the fabric, and thus imparting longer life and increased durability tothe material. We do not desire to be limited to any particular binding material or surface coating material, as lany suitable binding and coating materials may be employed in carrying out our invention,

which will provide the three Waterproof strata, interlocked with .each other, the central strata .containing sufficient of the fibrous material to supply the required strength and flexibility.

I n some instances we prefer to prepare our improved Waterproof sheet material, by providingV one face of the material with Va surface coating of one character and the other face with a surface coating of a different character, the composition of both of thel surface coatings ordinarily being different from thatof the Waterproof binding ma- It is also to be'noted that the exterior y terial employed in the central strata. In such case, the fabric is waterproof strata of di erent characters and compositions and this embodimentof the invention vproduces a material of the widest possible utility. For example, in a waterproof sheet embodying our invention, having the central waterproof strata impregnated with and consolidated by a rubber compound, a coating of pyroxylin compound may be applied on one side, and a coating of linseed oil or compos'ition containing the same may be applied on the other s'ide, both surface coatings being interlocked with thc more loosely associated fibres of the base material and consolidated with the flexible binding material, so as to form a trebly Waterproof sheet, as previously described.

lVhat we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is rovided with three 1. The herein described process of producing a water-proof fabric, which consists 1n coating an unwoven fibrous sheet material on opposite faces with a flexible waterproof binding material, splitting the sheet material, and uniting the coated faces thereof'to produce a centrally located Waterproof stratum in the resulting sheet material, and then applying a coating of Waterproof material to at least one exterior face of the resulting sheet material.

2. The herein described process of pro-v ducinga waterproof fabric, which consists 1n coating an unwoven fibrous sheet material on opposite faces With`a--fiexible waterproof binding material, splitting the sheet material, and uniting the coated faces thereof to produce va centrally located Waterproof stratum in the resulting sheet material, 'and then applying a coating of Waterproof material to each of the exterior faces of the resulting sheet material to' provide three Waterproof strata Vtherein extending throughout the sheet.

3.. The herein described process of producing a waterproof fabric, which consists 1n applying to opposite faces of a non-Woven fibrous base sheet material, and forcing the binding material into the basel material in a direction toward the center to impregnate and consolidate the fibres -adjacent to both surfaces, splitting the sheet material and uniting the coated faces to produce a resulting sheet fabric having a centrally disposed Waterproof stratum, and with loosely associated projecting fibres on its opposite faces, then applying a surface coating of Waterproof material to at least one face of said fabric, interlocked with said l loosely associated and projecting fibres, and consolidated, With said centrally disposed waterproof stratum.

4. The herein described process of 'producing a Waterproof fabric, Which consists 1n applying to each face of a non-Woven" fibrous base sheet'material, a @crible waterproof binder, and forcing itinto the base material to impregnate and consolidate the .dbres thereof adjacent to each surface, and

leaving a central stratum of hbres unimregnated, s littirig the coated non-woven se fabric t rough the stratum of unimpregnated fibres, and `uniting the coated faces of base fabric to produce a fabric having a centrallymcated impervious waterproof stratum and exterior strata of loosely associated andjprojecting bres, and applying a surface coating of waterproof material to the opposite surfaces of said fabric inter-locked with the loosely associated 'an 4projecting fibres and consolidated with 1 to pressure to unite said coated faces, and

form a centrally disposed impervious waterproof stratum, and applying a surface coating of waterproof material to at least one exteriorface of the resulting sheet material, and causing said surface coatingto interlock with the fibres of the base material, and consolidate with the said flexible binding material.

6. The herein described process of making e. waterproof sheet material, which consists in appl ing a flexible waterproof binding materia to one face of a non-woven fibrous base sheet material to coat the same and impregnate'and consolidate the fibres adjacent to the surface, applying the flexible waterproof binding material to the opposite face of said sheet material, splitting the sheet material between said impregnated and consolidated portions, and applying a surface coating of waterproof material to the roughened fibrous surface of said sheet material produced by the splitting thereof, and interlocking said coating with the fibres of the base material. i

7. The herein described process of making a waterproof sheet material, which consists in applying a flexible waterproof binding material to one face of a fibrous nonwoven sheet material and causing it to impregnate and consolidate the `fibres thereof toward butI not to the center ofthe sheet, applying 'the flexible waterproof ,binding material to the opposite face of the fibrous accenna non-woven sheet material, 'and impreatin and consolidatingjthe bres thereof tower but not to the center of the sheet, leaving a centrallydisposed stratum of bres sub1 stantially unimpregnated, splitting the sheet between the imprenated strata of bres,

bringing the coat faces of the split material together and uniting' themto form a.

centrally disposed impervious waterproof f stratum in the resulting fabric, and applying to the unimpregnated fibres, avwater- "ilproof coatin and interlocking said coating material wit said bres, and consolidatin it with the waterproof binding material o said centrally disposed waterproof stratum.

- 8.v As a new article ofimanufacture, a waterproof sheet material comprising a lbA fabric composed of unwoven unspun bres having a centrally located `'Wat-,er1 f roof stratum and an exterior surface coating o fwater roof material.

9. s a new article of manufacture, a waterproof sheet material comprising a base fabric composed of unwoven lunspun fibres having a centrally located impervious waterproof stratum, and an exterior waterproof surface coating on both faces, and forming i a trebl waterproofed fabric.

10. s a new article of manufacture, a waterproof sheet material comprising a'base fabric composed of unwoven unspun fibres having a centrally located stratum thereof, impregnated with and consolidated by a waterproof Hexible binding material, and having at least one face provided with a waterproof surface coating. 4

11. As a new article of manufacture,a

waterproof sheet material comprising a lll@ base fabric composed of unwoven unspun fibres having a centrally located stratum thereof impregnated with and consolidated by a waterproof flexible binding material, and having at least one face provided with a waterproof surface coatling interlocked with'the fibres of the base material and consolidated with the impervious central waterproof stratum. L

12. As a new article of manufacture, a waterproof sheet material consisting of a body of unwoven unspun fibres having a centraljstratum thereof impregnated with and united by a flexible waterproof binding compound to form an impervious stratum, and exterior strata of said fibres interlocked with a waterproof surface coating, applied to both sides of the sheet material and eX- tending into juxtaposition to and consoli-v on opposite faces, composed of waterproof material, the surface coating of one face beingof a different character of waterproof material from that on the other face.

14. As a new Yarticle of manufacture, a waterproof sheet material consisting of unwoven unspun fibres havinga centrally diS- posed stratum thereof impregnated and consolidated by a fiexible waterproof binding 10 material, and having surface coatings on opposite faces, composed of waterproof material, the surface coating of one face being of a different character of waterproof material from that on the other face, and both of said coatingsbeing of different composi tion from that of said binding material.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

HERMAN E. BROWN JORDAN HOMER- STOVER. 

